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This week we will be spending our time onboard a virtual high speed train in order to find out how to make the most out of our travel time- up next we will be looking at a couple of technologies that are sure to turn your travel frown upside down.

Praised be those who can sleep on trains, cars and planes; for we are not able to. Sincerely, 99% of travelers. Let’s face it folks, most of us are not able to sleep while standing upright in a chair. Arguably this can be a little upsetting to some, as there are few better feelings in known to man than waking up refreshed after a long train journey.

Truth is, if you are anything like us, you will try substitute sleep for a little entertainment -as the thought of waking up with a neck cramp and numbed legs is not entirely appealing to you.

Without further ado, here’s what we think traveling should look like:

Mobile AR gamesIf by any chance you’ve been caught up into the trend of playing “Pokemon Go”, you probably don’t need to have us explain mobile augmented reality. For those of us having to do serious things for a living-here is what mobile AR is and why you should try it: Mobile AR is a fairly new concept that mobile developers have been working on for the past years, that involves interacting with the environment around you in unique ways -using your smart phone. Taking a step forward we have seen the release of several AR games (ARG) that transformed some of our favorite 2D games into intractable 3D ones.

Take pool for example: instead of bringing a pool table along, you can now recreate and play with a virtual pool set on the table in front of you -just by using your smartphone. Pool is just one example as 3D ARG versions of: chess, cards, and pretty much anything you can think of, are being developed.

Ordering goodies on the go

Perhaps games are not for you and instead prefer to spend your time doing more serious things. We thought you might say that. What if you could order something online and have it delivered to your house by the time you get there? Arguably this is a realistic option with some products but in recent years companies like Amazon have been working around the clock to change the way we experience deliveries.

Take for example Amazon’s Alexa- the intelligent personal assistant capable of voice interaction. Alexa is designed to perform tasks for you that include ordering online. Another example of a company pushing the boundaries of online user purchasing experience is the Swedish giant Ikea. Ikea has developed an AR app that let’s you preview how the furniture looks before you buy it. With thousand of models to check out you can virtually decorate your house (or train compartment) on the go.

As this virtual train journey is reeling in towards it’s end, we would like to take this time to thank you for choosing to dedicate us your attention and urge you to come up with a few ideas of your own about “how to enjoyably spend time on a train”.